Schottenstein Center Seating Chart
The Schottenstein Center, known on campus as the Schott, is the home of Ohio State Buckeyes basketball and a regular tour stop in Columbus. The 1998 arena seats around 19,000 for hoops and reconfigures for concerts, with a wide lower bowl and a single upper tier.
Sections at Schottenstein Center
Schottenstein Center's seating bowl is organized into the following main sections. Section layout differs by event — a sports configuration and a concert configuration of the same arena are not the same chart.
- Floor — concert general admission and chairs
- Lower Bowl — 100s, courtside up
- Club Level — mid-tier premium
- Upper Bowl — 200s
- Student Section — lower end
- Suites
Best seats at Schottenstein Center
Lower-bowl sideline sections in the 100s give the best Buckeyes basketball view. For concerts, the 100 level facing the stage end is the play — the upper 200s are fine but sit a fair distance back from a center stage.
Tips before you go
The Schott has its own parking lots on the Ohio State campus, so arrive early on game and concert nights to beat the lot traffic. Student-section energy peaks for ranked Big Ten matchups, so get there for warmups.
How to read the Schottenstein Center seating chart
Schottenstein Center seats 18,809 in a bowl that wraps a central court, rink, or stage, so reading the chart starts at center and works outward. The lower bowl rings the floor closest to the action; a club or suite level sits in the middle; the upper bowl climbs above for the widest view. Lower-number sections sit nearest the action, and whether you are along a sideline or behind a baseline changes the view as much as the level does.
Three things decide an Schottenstein Center seat: how close you are to the floor, whether you face the action square on or from a baseline, and how high you sit. For an arena this size, the value sweet spot is usually the first few rows of the upper tier at center — close enough to read the play, cheap enough to justify, and high enough for the full picture. For a concert the stage usually sits at one end, so cross-check the official Schottenstein Center map against your ticket before you buy: a seat that's perfect for a game can sit behind the stage for a show.
Building a seating chart for an event at Schottenstein Center
Hosting a suite night, a group outing, or a private event in the Columbus area? A seating chart keeps the group organized before you ever reach the gates. Map your party onto tables that mirror the suite or section layout, assign each guest a spot, and export a PDF so everyone knows where they sit. For a private event in a banquet space near Schottenstein Center, the same tool lays out rounds, banquet tables, and head tables, then prints a chart the venue's event-services team can work from. Capacity at Schottenstein Center runs to 18,809 for its main configuration, but most private events use a fraction of that in a club, suite, or adjacent hospitality space — exactly the scale the maker below is built for.
Hosting a private event at Schottenstein Center?
Build your own seating chart for the event — banquet rounds for the dinner portion, theater rows for the program, whatever the format calls for. The Seat Chart App maker handles layouts up to 500 seats and exports a print-ready PDF to share with the venue's event team.
Open the seating chart generatorFrequently asked questions
- How many seats does Schottenstein Center hold?
- Schottenstein Center has a capacity of 18,809 seats. Capacity varies by event configuration — a concert may use floor seating that a basketball game doesn't, and a private buyout uses a different count than a public event.
- What are the best seats at Schottenstein Center?
- Lower-bowl sideline sections in the 100s give the best Buckeyes basketball view. For concerts, the 100 level facing the stage end is the play — the upper 200s are fine but sit a fair distance back from a center stage.
- What sections does Schottenstein Center have?
- Main sections include: Floor — concert general admission and chairs; Lower Bowl — 100s, courtside up; Club Level — mid-tier premium. Full breakdown in the sections list above.
- Where is Schottenstein Center located?
- Schottenstein Center is in Columbus, Ohio. Check the venue's official website for the exact address, parking options, and public transit access closest to your seat section.
- How do I plan a private event at Schottenstein Center?
- For private events, build a seating chart that maps to the venue's section layout using the Seat Chart App maker below. Drop tables to match your event's footprint within the venue's space, assign guests, and export a PDF to share with the venue's event-services team.